Dacia is the newest car brand on the Irish market and it is making an impact, with an offering based on value with competitive pricing.

Dacia is essentially a Romanian-built car range that uses the combined forces of Renault and Nissan technology to sell cars at a keener price. So when Dacia produces a small crossover car that looks really good and has real value, you have to sit up and take note.

Until recently, Dacia was offering three models: the Duster (a type of compact 4x4); the Sandero (a modest mini-car); and the Logan (a mid-range model). Now there’s a new Dacia Sandero Stepway, a derivative of the Sandero, but an entirely different car. I’ve taken the Sandero Stepway for a test drive and I was pleasantly surprised.

It looks like a small SUV without the four-wheel-drive capability and it’s fun to drive and sit in. The exterior looks are impressive, with its 40mm extra raised height relative to the standard Sandero and plastic-type wider wheel arches.

This is a neat and comfortable small SUV with crossover looks developed with a modest amount of extra styling to give it a very different look. The Stepway looks so much better than the base Sandero that I’m convinced that it’s worth the €1,000 or more extra on the price list. The entry price for the diesel-powered model is just €13,690 and that will attract many.

The Stepway has all the ingredients for value: a proven Renault/Nissan diesel engine, good safety credentials and low running costs. And the enhanced raised look, with the addition of roof rails, gives it a styling that’s comparable with other more expensive cars.

The 1.5-litre turbo-diesel engine has been around for some time, so no mysteries there. It’s a lively unit at 90bhp and gives the Sandero Stepway reasonable acceleration at 11.8 seconds in a 0 to 100km/h dash. That’s comparable with much of the competition, including the recently featured Ford EcoSport, with a similar size engine. The engine technology may be a little older. You will notice the turbo boost, but its ability to cruise on the motorway at 120km/h is undaunted at a low engine rev figure of about 2,200rpm. That gives reasonably comfortable driving and good economy.

The official economy figures at 25km/litre (4.0l/100km or 70 mpg) are impressive. Couple that with the low CO2 rating and an annual road tax of €190 and this is a cost-effective car to run that looks well. While I failed to reach that level of economy, I found that I achieved a driving range of over 1,000km from the 50-litre fuel tank, and that’s real value-for-money family motoring.

The Dacia Sandero Stepway comes in two versions: the basic Alternative model and the €1,000 more expensive Signature version. The basic car comes well equipped in safety terms, with proper three-point rear seatbelts, anti-lock braking system (ABS) and emergency brake assist (EBA), electronic stability control (ESC) with ASR traction control and front airbags. There are ISOFIX points for child seats in both outer rear seats. There are front airbags, but none on the side and rear.

The Dacia Sandero was rated at four stars in the most recent Euro NCap crash tests. While the raised Stepway version was not included in the test, one could expect a similar result in terms of occupant safety.

The base car has radio with CD, MP3, USB and Bluetooth, fog lights, remote central locking, steering wheel controls, electric front windows, and 16-inch Stepway design wheels.

Going to the Signature version gives seat height adjustment for the driver, leather steering wheel and manual air conditioning. You have to go the extra €2,000 for seat adjustment alone, which to me should be a fitting on the standard car.

With an entry price of €13,690 or £9,395 in NI, this is the best value small SUV that you can buy. Even if you have to go to the higher grade model at €2,000 more, it’s still value, without taking possible higher depreciation costs into the equation.

The only doubt about the Sandero Stepway is around the Dacia brand name – it’s new. But this is a practical option as a family runabout second car and it offers value-for-money motoring.

Dacia Stepway 1.5 DCi

Engine 1.5 litre

Engine power 90bhp 

0-100km/hr 11.8 seconds

Economy 25km/litre

Fuel tank capacity 50 litres

CO2 emissions 105g/km

Road tax band A3 (€190)

Main service 20,000km/ 12 months

Safety rating Four stars

Towing rating 1,100kg

Warranty Three years

Entry price €13,690

NI price £9,395